ABOUT US

You cannot bring up a family without housing.

You cannot educate children without schools.

You cannot cure people without hospitals.

ARTICLE 25

Article 25 is an architecture charity based in London. We use design to improve health, livelihood and resilience to disasters. We are driven by Article 25 of United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to adequate and dignified shelter. Our vision is of a world where all communities have access to better housing, safe school buildings and effective clinics and hospitals, and we provide the skills and knowledge needed to make this a reality.

We have worked on more than 90 projects in 34 countries, making us the most far-reaching architectural NGO in the world. Our projects are delivered with in-country partners to ensure that local knowledge and relationships are maximised, and that projects are sustainable even after our involvement has ended. Take a look at our projects.

THE CHALLENGE

Far too many people do not have access to decent shelter and housing, adequate school buildings and effective clinics or hospitals. A well-designed building is one of the most important factors in ensuring a good quality of life. Our goal is to focus on building the necessary foundations for those most in need globally. Infrastructure can be such a powerful tool to build thriving, healthy, strong communities in the face of poverty and the exacerbating hardships forced on people through natural disasters and conflict.

263 million children are out of schools worldwide

1 in every 10 children are out of school and are excluded from education and classrooms. UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims for all girls and boys to have access to completely free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education, by 2030. Our vision is to create an inclusive educational environment in areas most in need to equip children with the skills and knowledge to grow as individuals.

More than half of the world’s population lacks access to essential health services

1 in 4 people in developing countries contract hospital acquired infections. The World Health Organisation’s 2017 Global Monitoring Report on Tracking universal health coverage states that all people should be able to obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It is essential to ensure a clean environment, functional facilities and adequate equipment in hospitals in order for health professionals to deliver quality services and support to patients.

Bad buildings kill people, not bad weather

Hurricane Sandy killed 43 people in the USA. Cyclone Nargis killed 138,000 in Myanmar. The difference did not lie in the size of the storms – 78% of preventable deaths were linked to poor housing. By 2030, 325 million of the world’s poorest people will be living in the 49 most hazard prone countries according to the ODI’s report on the geography of poverty, disasters and climate extremes. Sustainable built infrastructure can provide protection to people living in affected countries and reduce the impact of devastating natural disasters.

DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

Article 25 works with leading international development organisations, including DfID, Danida, Save the Children, The British Red Cross and Unicef.

We support our partners, both large and small, by taking on the design and construction of capital projects that they do not have the capacity to manage themselves. Capital projects are often technically complex and require specialist knowledge and skills. Our community-centred design approach aims to catalyse positive social change, through a greater sense of ownership, involvement in design and construction, and buildings that are disaster resistant. We also promote our work as positive examples of how low-cost, high-impact community centred construction can work on a larger scale.